On Friday, October 30, I headed to Northwest Iowa for three days on assignment for Reuters. After a first event was canceled I drove two hours north to Le Mars where former Pennsylvania Gov. Rick Santorum was meeting with voters at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor. After I arrived and made one frame, I was informed that there was no photography allowed, company policy. As I listened to the conversation Santorum had with the 15 attendees, I began my own discussion with the campaign staff about how I could get a bit of time with the senator. They invited me to lunch with the staff, without other media, where the Senator was a mix of "on" and unguarded, both getting in the back to help prep the food and relaxed around his three staff members with him that day.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum listens to a question at a town hall at the Blue Bunny Ice Cream Parlor in Le Mars, Iowa.

Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum laughs at joke as he and his staff eat lunch at Bob's Drive Inn between campaign stops.

After my stop in Le Mars, I drove to Sioux City for a campaign event with Sen. Marco Rubio who had just gotten some press for a strong performance in the CNBC Republican debate. Despite the boring location of a hotel banquet hall, the photos proved worthwhile as just after the event it was announced that Rubio had picked up support from a very influential conservative billionaire donor.

The final event of the night was the Northwest Iowa GOP Rally in Orange City, where Republicans from four counties in the region came to hear Sen. Marco Rubio, Carly Fiorina, Sen. Rick Santorum, and Chris Christie speak. None of the candidates are polling in the top tiers but Sen. Rubio's recent news and debate performance drew a number of reporters.

Republican presidential candidate Carly Fiorina answers questions from the media ahead her speech at the Northwest Iowa Republican rally at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.

Republican presidential candidate Sen. Marco Rubio speaks to voters, the first of four candidates slated to appear at the Northwest Iowa Republican rally at Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa.